All Things Chill

Yup. That’s all You’re Getting From Me Today.

Boo.

~Spec

So as to not weird Liana’s family with my penchant for taking multiple of photographs of my dinner, I quickly snapped this picture of my dinner with the iPhone. My apologies to the Flickr gods. Hee hee. Looks like a lot of food, yes? Where can you find such a dinner, my friends? WELL AT THE HOME OF CHICKEN AND WAFFLES IN OAKLAND’S JACK LONDON SQUARE OF COURSE.

Yes, chicken and waffles. CHICKEN AND WAFFLES!

You’d think that something as starchy as waffles would be too heavy with deeply fried chicken parts, but not so. Their waffles, with their light and airy texture has hints of vanilla and cinnamon taste AMAZING with the dense, almost too dry (if that’s ever a good thing?) chicken parts. I only say chicken parts, because most of the time, I had NO IDEA what parts I was eating. Wings are wings, but the thighs and breasts kinda all looked the same. BIG. LOL. GOOD THING THERE WAS A LOT OF GREAT HOTSAUCE AND MAPLE SYRUP TO GO AROUND! Read their short bio below:

Originally a franchise of Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles, the family-owned HCW implemented an upscale thematic flair and re-branded with a 60’s diner image. Marguerite Thompson (interior designer of the Oakland & Chicago offices of edgy multicultural ad shop Carol H. Williams) created a vibrant color palate of vivid turquoise and luminous earthy gold accented with hints of forest green, pumpkin orange, and lush scarlet.

Key words? ORIGINALLY A FRANCHISE OF ROSCOE’S CHICKEN AND WAFFLES. One of Liana’s siblings currently lives in the LA area and she said that it was just as good (’cept for the dry chicken thing) as Roscoe’s. HOORAY.

Oh, by the way, I ordered DARROLL’S HOMERUN with red beans and rice and greens and stole some mac and cheese and some waffle from those around me (thanks sweetheart!). Hee hee. It was DELICIOUS. Next time you’re in the bay area, I HIGHLY recommend it. OAKLAND HELLA LOVES YOU.

And you can HELLA LOVE it too!

~Spec

You guys are probably busy with all the new Macworld LOVE, but AOL just released a Shoutcast iPhone app (App Store Link)! WOOHOO! This means that you can take your favorite Internet radio stations away from the computer! PREPARE FOR A TON OF EXCLAMATION MARKS! LOL.

If you didn’t know, I’m a resident DJ on the Dogglounge.com - THE BEST DEEP HOUSE INTERNET RADIO STATION ON THE INTERNET! And also, by resident, I meant that I USED to spin there weekly, but I like to THINK that I could jack the stream at this very minute ’cause the current guys still like me. LOL. So, now I can take my Internet radio on the goooOoOoooOOOoo! Deets follow:

• Access to over 25,000 SHOUTcast radio stations on your iPhone™ (EDGE, 3G or WiFi) or iPod® touch (WiFi)
• Search the vast SHOUTcast directory right on your iPhone or iPod touch
• Organize a list of your favorite SHOUTcast stations
• Innovative accelerometer control – Just shake to get a random station. You’ll never know what you might hear!
• Built on the award-winning AOL Radio for iPhone platform

To get you started, check out SOMA.FM, the Dogglounge (of course) and MonkeyRadio! If you have an iPhone, you now have a TON of listening options. WHEEE!!!

Get listening on your iPhone!

~Spec

San Francisco was fun! I ate a lot of great food with friends and Liana’s family - most events went without a photograph… but the things that I did capture will bring a flood of good memories for years to come.

We went to the California Academy of Science with Jade and Steve (that’s them on the sustainable-roof), where we ran around and checked out the aquarium (WOW COOL) and the planetarium presentation (WOW AWESOME). Apparently, it’s a real pain to get in the museum itself - I’d recommend getting there about 45 minutes before the thing opens to get a good crack at the fun stuff. If I’d go again, I’d do the planetarium, rainforest, penguin feeding and then De Young across the street… but that’s for another post. Hee hee.

We stopped by the old restaurant where I worked, where we said hello to my buddy Ryan. We were completely caught off guard with some of the dishes he brought out OFF MENU (mwmwahaha CONNECTIONZ) and the bomb diggy desserts. LIME-COCONUT SORBET FOR THE FREAKING WIN! Thanks for the laughs homeslice, it was a delicious meal. Hopefully we can be in the same industry next time I come visit. *crosses fingers* GBD = GOLDEN BROWN AND DELICIOUS. WHAT.

I broke off from Liana’s family to geekout meetup with Jacqui, Clint and a few other Ars writers (HI CHRIS AND DAVID!) to have some beer and relax before their long week at Macworld. INTERNET FAMOUS Colin “I LIKES THE SPAM” Barrett also came to join us, as well as ONE OF MY BESTEST FRIENDS ALICE (top picture above lololol). We all fondled our iPhones and even had a HALLO from Will Shipley. FYI, the Marriot serves local Anchor Steam, but does NOT have garlic fries. BOO.

I’ve said it a million times already, but I had fun in SF. The nostalgia I had walking around downtown made me feel I lived there a lot longer than I actually did. SORRY IF I DIDN’T SEE YOU - there weren’t enough hours in the day. I’m cutting and splicing tons of video footage I took out there, so lookout for that as well. WHHHEEEEEEEE.

SF WHAT WHAT.

~Spec

Late Night of Mahjong

Gettin’ Our Learn On in SF

WHEEEEE. I’ll be in San Francisco from Friday - Sunday, and there are a few things that I’d like to do before I leave - definitely not in any particular order.

1. Visit my homies at Slanted Door and check out the new commissary - a central food production “homebase” normally located as a nexus between all restaurants
2. Have a Top Dawg with hot mustard, ‘kraut & fries and eat it outside
4. Eat a Milano Express burger from Flippers with a vanilla coke
5. Drink special + a plate of fried chicken at Farmer Brown’s
6. Say hello to my old co-workers
7. Take the BART somewhere (easy one!)
8. Take MUNI to Sunset district and eat a salad and drink a pint at Pluto’s with Liana
9. Eat a FREAKIN’ decent burrito (either from Taqueria Cancun or Papalote)
10. Drink 3 bottles of Pepto. LOL.

Now I know I won’t be able to do all of those things (if ANY) in 3 days AND hang out with Liana and her wonderful family… but there’s some wishful thinking in there too. Everything is happening so fast, so if I don’t see you… I’ll be back soon. Hopefully. Hee hee. Hit me up on twitter if you’re so inclined!

YAY SAN FRANCISCO!

~Spec

Two (TWO!) of my food photographs were used on San Pellegrino’s website (it’s Flash-based, so iPhone users beware) for their article Polenta: from peasant to gourmet food. The first dish, cod with tomato sauce had a crispy polenta cake, while the other dish was a braised lamb shank with a creamy polenta application. I’m so happy they were used for something other than my humble blog. Hee hee.

Thanks Besanopoli for choosing my pics!

~Spec

Taken at Uwajimaya. I’m not very superstitious, but I always make sure I have a full bag of rice to ring in the new year. My family has done it all my life and I believe its purpose has to do with being bountiful or something. I’m just glad I have some backup for when the mood suits me (SPAAAAAAM!). Hee hee.

YAY RICE!

~Spec

LIANA GOT ME THE KODAK Zi6! Above is a random Christmas-Eve video with Domo-Kun and our Charlie Brown Christmas tree - complete with a handmade felt star, popcorn string and 81 adorable mini-ornaments. Watch in HD if your computer can handle it. LOL. WHEEEEEE.

Welcome to HD!

~Spec

Sushi Maki. WHAT WHAT.

~Spec

Ribeye steak with hot horseradish cream, asparagus and a baked potato with Irish butter. I keep wanting to say that it’s a continental - a style of cooking that includes the better-known dishes of various western European countries - version of prime rib, but I mean… what’s the point (lol). It’s a baked potato with really great butter, asparagus that’s been boiled and finished off with Kosher salt and a good cut of beef with some spicy horsey sauce (YOU ARBY’S PEOPLE KNOW WHAT I’M TALKIN’ ABOUT). Simple and clean flavors and kinda appropriate for the holidays. DO IT. DO IT.

YAY STEAK.

~Spec

Liana made pillows for her secret santa via her blog: A Pocket Full of Posies. CUUUUTE.

xoxo,

~Herschell